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When Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the ex-top ten player detailed how she had "reached her limit."

"The itinerary is excessive. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she wrote.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had previously revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also think the calendar is excessively lengthy.

This issue is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players reconvene in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nevertheless, a few weeks is not regarded as sufficient time for proper recovery before work commences for an 11-month campaign seen as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," stated Dr. Robby Sikka, head of medicine at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"The duration of play has increased, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

"It is our obligation to shield the competitors and give them a more sustainable sport."

So what is being done and what further steps could be taken?

Reducing the Calendar Length

The 2025 season spanned 47 weeks for many men on tour, commencing with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and ending with the Davis Cup final in late November.

The women's season finished two weeks earlier when the season-ending championships wrapped up in early November. The governing body moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to alleviate scheduling concerns.

ATP officials claim it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "always remain a top priority."

That did not placate the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, pointing to "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Restructuring the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be accomplished simply given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"We need to think about whether we can create more time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a mini-break," added Dr. Sikka.

Former world number one Andy Roddick, a vocal proponent of reform, says the season should not go past 1 November.

The ATP Tour has reduced the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will reduce "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players choose their own schedules," remarked ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes obligation - understanding when to compete and when to rest."

Extending several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - has also been questioned.

"I believe competitors are more worn out mentally and physically because they're spending more days away," stated Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

Alongside mental burnout, there are concerns about the increased physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in certain months, according to PTPA research.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the seasonal itinerary and the switches in court surfaces.

Fewer Late Nights & More Ball Consistency

When a memorable contest at the Australian Open concluded in the early hours in 2023, it was expected to drive reform.

In 2024, the tours implemented a new rule preventing matches beginning past 11pm.

But there have still been instances of matches finishing well past midnight - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"When you are done playing you just don't go home," said Dr. Sikka.

"You have to do media, recover, work with the physiotherapist. Your day extends well beyond the match.

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. There is no other sport which mandates that."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been pointed to as a source of a rise in upper body injuries.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," stated one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who stepped away last year with an persistent wrist issue, thinks tournaments in the same seasonal segment should use one standard ball.

"Implementing this would not be overly complex - the same ball for clay, the same for hard and the same for grass. That would be really helpful to the players," he said.

The tours began using a more standardized equipment policy during 2025 and anticipate "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

Medical researchers believe tennis must take cues from how American team sports use data to guide the welfare of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to minimize the risk of injury.

"American football has implemented numerous reforms driven by data," said an analytics expert whose firm provides data to monitor player welfare.

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're keeping players out on the field.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and allocating major funds – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their exertion at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

Some retired players believe the load put on the upper body of tennis players from a tender age is a significant factor in their injuries later on.

"Training begins in childhood and have so many iterations of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"Over time, the wrist suffers the consequences. Way more players have problems with the wrist. I think the problem is the many, many repetitions."

Players 'Motivated' for Change - What Do They Want?

An rising contingent of players are speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a coalition of top players increasing demands on the Grand Slams with calls for a larger share of revenue, as well as meaningful consultation about the length of the season, longer competitions and scheduling.

Last year, a top-ten American player said it was "ridiculous" he was only able to take one week off before the next campaign.

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative non-tour contests.

One Grand Slam champion from Britain says the relentless travel is a "test" but thinks top players "moaning about the calendar" is not a good look.

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